WREN Book Three Prince of Dragons

The choice is mine to make

The first day, I hiked. I searched the land I was placed upon. It was more fruitful than I gave it credit for. I found berries, nuts, leaves, and even some potatoes. I had laughed at this. Another farmer must have survived here once upon a time. The skin bag I carried was full by noon. I arched my back, looking up to the sky.

Although I had blocked the dragons, I didn't go insane like the last time. They were still there, just a touch away. I still used the abilities they lent me. For this, I was grateful. I wasn't sure if I could survive souly on my upbringing, for with it was always a dragon close to mind. I smiled. Some used to say I was part dragon...

Chuckling to myself, I turned to walk back toward the camp I had made. Deciding to take a different route to see what else I might find, I followed a small trail that was overgrown. I wondered if something had sat here at one time. Maybe a castle? A shrine? Someplace for humans to come leave offerings? I imagined the one-time world.

What if my mother's ancestors had been some sort of wondering people? This could have been a temple space for them. The curving fingered mountain top could resemble a hand. Ancient people may have seen this as a hand of God. They would bring offerings, fruits, nuts, and potatoes? I chuckled at this.

Leaving the baskets out, the fruits would grow moldy. The potatoes would sink into the ground, searching for survival. I guessed that could explain the small patch I found. But why would it be so far from the top? I shrugged. It was a mystery I probably wouldn't be able to solve.

The small trail I followed soon gave way to the bushes around it. It had been years since a foot traipsed upon it. Here was some shade. I kicked through the underbrush, and my staff strapped upon my back. My bag banged against my knee as I used my hands to part the foliage before me. I didn't come out here well prepared, but I could live easily as I was.

The branch before my eyes lifted. At first, I couldn't comprehend just what I saw. The vines and plant life had taken over the structure before me. Most of the inner walls had crumbled. I could see where the fine hall for dining should have been. A ballroom possibly existed there. I thought as I wondered the ruined castle.

I spent several hours looking through the place. It was huge. The land had overgrown more of it than I originally thought. I stood in what I believed had been the throne room. The small step I was on could have been what was left of the daises. Hands pressed into my back, I arched up seeing how the sun was farther into its daily journey than I had realized.

I turned toward the path to head back to my humble home. Something stopped me. A feeling of... peace? Wonder? There was an unseen force telling me not to leave, not yet anyway. I moved back the feeling eased some. Looking around, I went to another section where it looked safe to spend a night.

I tucked my bulging bag away behind a stone. Settling down, I looked out over the domain I was in. From here, it didn't look the same. As I sat crossed legged, I could see what this place could have looked like when it was new. The colors of materials that the ladies would be wearing, how they swirled around to entice their gentleman. The manly men big strong protectors acting like the women were nothing but extras in a play of their own making. I snorted.

My eyes closed as I breathed in the air flowing over these once grand ruins. I listened to my heartbeat as if it slowed to a low steady thrumming. My hands sat on my knees, my skin cooled in the breeze. Slowly, slowly everything stilled.

The breeze froze on the cusp of touching me. The trees stopped swaying around me. The insects stopped their cacophony of sound. I was a stone floating in the current of life. Here, it felt like what Neffy had tried to explain to me. Time didn't matter, not in the way we humans believed it to be. It didn't flow linear, but it was all around us.